Spasticity

Spasticity is a condition characterised by increased
muscular tension and amplified or pathogenic reflexes.

Spasticity is a common symptom in connection with
neurological injuries and diseases such as CP, stroke, acquired brain
damage and spinal injury. Spasticity is generally the result of brain or spinal
cord injury, damage which can be congenital, as is the case with cerebral
palsy, or acquired later in life, for example after suffering a stroke.

Spasticity is disabling in itself, and can also lead
to pain, muscle contraction and tiredness. Spasticity often leads to a
deterioration in quality of life as it restricts movement and reduces activity
and the chance to participate in various contexts.

Besides physiotherapy, the traditional methods of
treating spasticity primarily comprise drugs to suppress spasms, injections
with botulinum toxin and operations. These methods of treatment do alleviate
the effects of spasticity for a certain period, but the treatments have to be
repeated to ensure that the effects do not diminish, they are relatively
expensive and furthermore often involve side effects.